Comorbidities in P16ink4a-Positive and P16ink4a-Negative Oropharyngeal Carcinoma Patients

Background Comorbidities have an impact on the treatment options and prognosis of oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPSCC). The prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced OPSCC has increased in last decades. The cellular protein p16INK4a (p16) is a surrogate marker of HPV-driven OPSCC. The aim of the study was to investigate whether differences in comorbidities can be identified between p16-positive (p16+) and p16-negative (p16-) OPSCC.